2012 Olympics: 5 Track and Field Names to Know

From the 100 to the 5,000m, the track and field portion of the Olympics has a lot to offer. You have athletes new to the Olympic stage, others wanting to defend their titles, and some tired of being in second place and ready to become a champion.

Here are the top five track and field names to know for the 2012 Olympics.

1.Sanya Richards-Ross (400m)

Sanya Richards-Ross is the 2012 World Indoor Champion in the 400m and aims to win gold in London. The 400m is a race that combines speed and endurance and Richardson-Ross has both attributes in spades.

Her main competition in the 400m will be Allyson Felix, who is just as hungry to win the gold in the 400m and the 200m.

If Richards-Ross continues with her current training and keeps up her times, she will be primed to win the fifth gold medal in the 400m dash for the United States.

2.Lashinda Demus (400H)

The 2011 World Champion, Lashinda Demus, battled to regain her spot in the 400m hurdles after giving birth to her twin boys in 2007. She defeated defending champion Melaine Walker with a personal best and U.S. record of 52.47 seconds.

Demus is no stranger to being ranked No. 1 and is ready to claim gold in the Olympics. Demus has a lot to prove this time around, after missing out on a trip to Beijing by coming in fourth at the Olympic trials.

Her main competition is Walker, however, if she continues on the path she is now and remains hungry, Walker shouldn't have a problem chasing down a gold medal.

3.Bernard Lagat (5,000m)

One would think at the age of 35, Bernard Lagat, the owner of several Olympic and World Championship medals, would be well into to retirement.  But Lagat is still one of the best milers and middle-distance runners in the world.

When Lagat failed to make the 1,500m final in the 2008 Olympics, everyone thought he was done.

Not quite.

Lagat just won his third gold medal in the 2012 Indoor Championship. Age just can't slow this man and he will be a tough one to beat in London.

4.Kirani James (400m)

Eighteen-year-old Kirani James surprised the world by beating former champion LaShawn Merritt and winning gold after running only four races in his professional career.

Then, as if to prove he wasn't just lucky, he won the 400m at the 2011 IAAF Diamond League in Zurich  nine days later to win the world championship.

James, who is the first Grenadian world champion, is a natural born sprinter. He hugs the 400m curves with ease and is poised to win the gold as long as he continues to train hard and doesn’t let the fact he is a world champion get to his head.  

5.Angelo Taylor (400H)

                                                                                                     

Angelo Taylor is one of those athletes that has the talent, but is wildly inconsistent.  

He won the gold medal in the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.  Then, in 2001, Taylor didn’t make it past the semifinals in the World Championships. He didn’t make the US World Championships at all in 2003 and couldn’t defend his Olympic title in 2004, again not making it past semifinals.

He then rebounded and won gold in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

Taylor wants to hold on to his title this time around but will have competition from David Greene and Bershawn Jackson.

If Taylor can stay mentally tough and blast off after that last hurdle, he might have a chance at winning gold.